You know, I wasn't even going to mention this because it really is a non-issue, but what the hay. It seems that Al Gore has come under some criticism for the energy consumption of his Tennessee mansion. A conservative think tank looked up his energy bills and reported their findings just after Gore's film
An Inconvenient Truth won an Oscar. Gore has defended himself by saying that he uses florescent bulbs, has recently installed solar panels, partakes in Tennessee's green power program, and runs his business from his home; which requires more energy than your typical household. Even if Gore doesn't practice what he preaches as best as he could he still has brought a lot of attention to the cause. It seems to me that the oil companies and naysayers have run out of ammunition and have resorted to name calling and finger pointing. Which, when you think about it is really indicative of a much larger problem that this country faces.
We are divided. Ever since Bush number two squeaked by in an election where he lost the popular vote, and was basically appointed to the presidency by the Supreme Court the country has been split in two. An unpopular war and another close and contested election later it is even worse. And so much is in jeopardy. American soldiers, Iraqi citizens, the environment, our moral standing on the world stage, the economy... so much. I don't see any real solution in sight under the current paradigm. Our elected officials are duplicitous and have their hands deep in the lobbyist's pockets. The media is controlled by a very few. When the democrats push a bill through the House that purports to clean up Washington's Act it is front page news, but when that same bill gets tied up in the Senate you hear nothing about it. The money needs to get out of Washington so that good people can pass sensible legislation that helps the country as a whole, not pork fat, pet projects, bridges to nowhere, and unjust wars.
Here is a great site that breaks down just what all that tax money could do for us and the world. The system is broken. I don't know maybe a fresh face like Obama could be what this country needs.